Downshifting At Dinner

FOOD AND HEALTH

Diners, Slow Down Your Forks. Don't Confuse The Sound Of The Dinner Bell With The Sound Of A Starter Gun At A Race.

September 12, 1996|By Bob Condor, Chicago Tribune

What's the rush? That's less the question and more the answer these days as Americans set the pace for societies in a hurry: They rush to drop off kids, get to work, squeeze in a workout (without warming up enough in the process).

Most people in this country also scurry through their meals, which leads to overstuffing.

''We live in a fast-paced society,'' said Julie Waltz Kembel, a nutrition adviser at the Canyon Ranch spa in Tucson, Ariz. ''When we sit down for a meal, we're usually moving at the same piston-speed as the rest of life. We want to dispense with meals quickly to be efficient.

''But the problem is, meal time is often the only relaxation and pleasure of a busy day.''

When you eat a meal, it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to signal that you are full, that your body's insulin levels have been replenished.

You might eat enough to supply your needs in 10 minutes, but without that brain signal, you won't feel full and will continue eating for the next 10 minutes. Slowing your eating pace a bit will allow your brain to catch up with your mouth.

Kembel's opening strategy with fast eaters is to discuss the notion of enjoying a meal instead of considering it another task to be done efficiently. This is one time when speed is not the ideal outcome.

''We need legitimate time out to enjoy the act of dining,'' she said. ''When I explain the wrong way to eat, my clients laugh because they see themselves.''

Gabriel Cousens is a Petaluma, Calif., physician and author of Conscious Eating (Vision Books, $19.95). He also is a former college football lineman who wolfed down burgers and fries.

''Many people eat their food without ever thinking about it,'' Cousens said. ''They don't savor a meal. If you are not aware of the flavors and textures of a food, you will probably eat more until you can't help but notice some flavors and textures.''

Cousens suggested an exercise in which people eat some bites during a meal with eyes closed, allowing more focused thoughts on food in the mouth.

''Consider it a form of meditation,'' he said. ''You will find yourself naturally slowing down.''